Our verified sellers offer rough opal form all over the world direct from opal miners and wholesalers. Australian opal rough has been the most popular over the last decade but opal mining is now getting expensive in Australia.

Our sellers have permission to offer images of rough opal wet to help expose the colour to buyers.

Boulder opal is still reasonable price from boulder opal fields which includes matrix rough but cutters need slightly bigger cutting equipment and especially larger saw blades to work this material. Opal fields from Andamooka to Mintabie and Koroit to Yowah are now only small mining operations.

Black opal rough form Lightning ridge NSW is in high demand and opal miners now work this material to check if any top expensive gemstones are in it.

Ethiopian rough opal has now filled the vied and many opal cutters have only worked this type rough opal due to regular supplies and inexpensive compared to Australian rough opal.

Yowah opal rough is also popular with new cutters who appreciate the pattern in these opals. International opal fields include Mexican opal, Honduran and Brazil opal rough but supplies are not constant and quality varies greatly.

When a new cutter starts they should pick the opal they like to finish and good to start with Ethiopian or Koroit rough opal. You can build your own opal cutting machine as new ones can be very expensive and one of our members built one and it is interesting information.

Ethiopian is hydrophane opal and requires different approach to Australian opal.

PLEASE NOTE

When opal arrives and you are not 100% happy you can return for refund.

But if you alter or cut the rough it is yours and we cannot exchange

However, if you touch any piece, you are excepting ownership and negative feedback cannot be left.

But comments can be made as neutral if the rough opal didn’t cut to your expectations.

Please study carefully before cutting

Further Reading